Shirli Libet EMDR & Ketamine Assisted EMDR שירלי ליבט

10/19/2026

**What if traditional therapy hasn't been enough to help you move forward?**

Ketamine Assisted EMDR combines trauma focused psychotherapy with medically supervised, low dose ketamine treatment to support trauma processing and emotional healing.

Curious whether this approach might be right for you?

📞 **Contact Shirli Libet, LMFT**
805-267-9284

**Reach out to schedule a consultation and learn more.**

**מה אם הטיפול המסורתי לא הספיק כדי לעזור לכם להתקדם?**

טיפול EMDR בשילוב קטמין במינון נמוך משלב פסיכותרפיה ממוקדת טראומה עם טיפול בקטמין בפיקוח רפואי, במטרה לסייע בעיבוד חוויות טראומטיות ובריפוי רגשי.

**סקרנים לדעת אם הגישה הזו יכולה להתאים לכם?**

📞 **שירלי ליבט, פסיכותרפיסטית מוסמכת (LMFT)**
805-267-9284

**מוזמנים ליצור קשר לתיאום שיחת היכרות ולקבלת פרטים נוספים.**

10/19/2026

Sometimes the past affects us more than we realize.

Have you ever reacted strongly to something small and wondered, “Why did that upset me so much?”

Past experiences can continue to influence our emotions, body sensations, beliefs, and relationships, even years later.

**EMDR therapy** helps people process distressing memories so they may become less emotionally overwhelming and have less influence on daily life.

The goal isn't to erase the past, but to help it feel like the past rather than something you're still living through.

**Sometimes our reactions make more sense when we understand what we've been through.**

10/19/2026

After more than 20 years as a therapist, I’ve recently come to appreciate just how important grounding techniques are, especially when working with trauma through EMDR.

In EMDR, I use grounding during preparation, when a client becomes overwhelmed or disconnected during processing, and at the end of sessions to help them reconnect with the present.

Why is grounding so important?

Trauma can make past experiences feel as though they are happening right now. Grounding helps clients reconnect with their surroundings, notice that they are in the present, and manage emotional intensity.

The 5-4-3-2-1 technique is one simple tool I use to support this process.

One thing I continue to learn, even after two decades in this field, is that effective trauma therapy isn’t just about processing painful memories. It’s also about helping clients stay connected to the present while doing so.

Sometimes, the simplest tools make a meaningful difference.

ShirliMindBodyGuide

EMDRTherapy

10/16/2026

**Could TMS be an option for depression or OCD?**

In my clinical practice, I have seen encouraging results with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), particularly for individuals who have not found sufficient relief through traditional treatments.

Research supports TMS as an effective treatment option for many people with treatment-resistant depression, with growing evidence for certain OCD treatments.

I recently wrote a blog post exploring how TMS works, what the research shows, and why I recommend considering it as part of a comprehensive treatment plan.

**Read my latest blog post to learn more.**

By Shirli H. Libet, MS, LMFTDepression and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) can significantly affect a person’s emotional well-being, relationships, and daily functioning. While psychotherapy and medication are effective for many people, some continue to struggle despite treatment.As a psychoth...

10/14/2026

**EMDR Phase 2: Preparation & Resourcing**

Before processing traumatic memories, we focus on building the tools needed to feel grounded, safe, and emotionally regulated.

During this phase, we may:

- **Practice grounding:** Learn to reconnect with the present moment when feeling overwhelmed.
- **Develop a Calm/Safe State:** Identify a calming experience and strengthen access to it through bilateral stimulation (BLS).
- **Build inner resources (RDI):** Connect with experiences of confidence, strength, protection, or support, using slow BLS to reinforce positive feelings and beliefs.
- **Practice self-regulation:** Learn to access these resources independently between sessions.

**The goal isn't to eliminate difficult emotions. It's to strengthen the ability to experience them without becoming overwhelmed.**

Phase 2 helps prepare the nervous system for trauma processing, at a pace that supports each person's readiness.

10/14/2026

**What Happens When the Brain Starts Making New Connections?**

Have you ever noticed that when you're feeling depressed, your mind keeps returning to the same negative thoughts?

One brain network involved in this process is the **Default Mode Network (DMN)**, which plays a role in self-reflection, memories, and our sense of identity.

In depression, changes in DMN activity and connectivity are associated with increased **rumination**, getting caught in repetitive negative thoughts about ourselves and our experiences.

**Here's where things get fascinating!**

Research suggests that psychedelics can temporarily quiet certain patterns of DMN activity, allowing brain networks that normally communicate less to interact more freely.

These changes may create opportunities for greater psychological flexibility and, potentially, neuroplasticity.

Suddenly, familiar experiences may feel different:

Music may sound richer and more emotional.
Colors may seem brighter.
Feelings that were difficult to access may become more available.

A belief like *"I'm not lovable"* may begin to shift toward *"I am worthy of love."*

**What about EMDR?**

EMDR and psychedelic assisted therapy can both help people process painful experiences and develop new perspectives. Although we don't yet know whether they produce the same changes in brain networks, both may help loosen rigid emotional patterns.

**Sometimes, healing isn't about changing what's around us. It's about discovering a new way to experience ourselves and the world.**

10/14/2026

**Grounding & Breathing: Why Are They So Important? 🌿**

As a therapist, I have to admit that only recently have I truly come to appreciate the importance of grounding and breathing techniques.

Sometimes, we focus so much on understanding our thoughts, emotions, and past experiences that we overlook something simple: **helping our bodies feel safe in the present moment.**

When we feel anxious, overwhelmed, or triggered, our nervous system can shift into a state of heightened alertness. Grounding techniques can help us reconnect with the present, while slow, gentle breathing can support our body's ability to regulate stress.

Grounding isn't about ignoring our emotions or forcing ourselves to relax. It's about creating enough stability to notice what we're experiencing without becoming overwhelmed.

And sometimes, the simplest things can make a difference:

🌿 Feeling your feet on the floor.
🌿 Noticing the chair supporting your body.
🌿 Looking around and identifying what's around you.
🌿 Taking a few slow, comfortable breaths.
🌿 Reminding yourself: *I am here. I can handle this moment.*

**We don't always need to change what we're feeling. Sometimes, we just need to help our nervous system recognize where we are, right here, right now.**

Save this for the next time you need a moment to reconnect with yourself. 💙

09/27/2026

Bilateral stimulation (BLS) is more than moving your eyes back and forth.

During EMDR, sets of BLS may help reduce sympathetic arousal while allowing the brain to make broader associations around what is being held in awareness.

In simple terms: when the nervous system becomes less activated, the brain may have more room to connect, process, and integrate the experience.

This is part of what makes EMDR different from simply talking about a difficult memory.

Follow for more about trauma, EMDR, and the nervous system.

09/25/2026

Kids protect attachment over reality. ♥️

When connection feels threatened, children often change themselves to preserve the relationship. They learn what keeps a parent close, calm, or loving, and adapt accordingly.

Sometimes that means becoming the “good” child, the strong child, the quiet child, the caretaker, or the child who needs nothing.

These adaptations can help us survive childhood relationships, but they can also follow us into adulthood.

Understanding why you learned to be who you needed to be can be an important part of healing.

✨ Follow for more about trauma, attachment, EMDR, and healing: ShirliMindBodyGuide

07/06/2026

One of the most powerful experiences people describe during psychedelic therapy is **self transcendence**.

For a moment, the constant focus on “me”, my fears, my past, my worries, begins to soften.

Many people describe feeling connected to something larger: nature, loved ones, humanity, or a deeper sense of purpose.

This shift can create profound insight. But insight alone is rarely enough.

**Integration is where transformation happens.**

Together, we explore questions like:

✨ What feels most important now?

✨ What values have become clearer?

✨ How can you bring these insights into your daily life?

Real healing happens when your everyday choices begin to reflect what truly matters to you.

Psychedelic therapy may open the door.

Integration helps you walk through it.

What does self transcendence mean to you?

ShirliMindBodyGuide